By Cassandra Taylor, Publications Assistant
This summer, Thomas More College hosted three successful Great Books Summer Programs. In addition to Great Books I and II, which are held on the College’s Merrimack campus and take full advantage of its New England setting, the third annual Rome High School Summer Program introduced a new group of students to the Eternal City.
All Summer Program participants get a taste of the TMC way of life, which centers around the College’s Catholic identity and its Great Books curriculum. Shannon Burke (Great Books I) remarked, “The counselors, professors, and community are so authentically Catholic. The combination of academics, fun, and faith formation made it one of the most memorable experiences I’ve ever had.” Bernadette Steele (Rome) said, “The lessons and experiences we were given in the Program really expanded my perspective.”
The Great Books I and II Summer Programs challenge students to prepare for a public debate or for a production of a Shakespearean play, respectively. This experience heartened Violet Okemwa (Great Books I); as she put it: “I learned that if I try really hard at what does not come naturally to me and puts me outside of my comfort zone, I can achieve it.” Ryann Chen (Great Books I) agreed: “I am not as hesitant about public speaking as I thought I was.”
In true TMC fashion, friendship and community featured prominently in the experiences of the participants. In fact, Luke Boyne (Great Books II) said that “the people” were his favorite part of the Summer Program. New friends and effective teachers had a positive effect on Penelope Gioffre (Great Books I). She found her time at TMC this summer to be “joyful and transformative.” She reflected, “I have never met such a kind group of people or been in a place where I felt so individually valued and appreciated. I feel I am a better person than I was two weeks ago—because of a combination of lessons I learned from Mr. Harned, Mr. Mitchell, and Dr. Kitzinger, and from my friends there.”
Like TMC students during the school year, Summer Program participants have regular access to Mass and Reconciliation. For Miss Chen, “The entire program was God-filled and infused with the life of the Faith.” Miss Okemwa said that participating in the Summer Program “taught me how to better put Christ at the center of all I do.” And when asked what he learned about himself during the Summer Program, Charles Ayers (Great Books I) referred to his “relationship with God,” calling his time on campus “an amazing, eye-opening experience.”
Students who would like to see TMC for themselves are welcome to join us at our Fall Open House, October 11–12, 2026. Register today!
